Monday, May 20, 2013

Victim or Victorious

"Every struggle, whether won or lost, strengthens us for the next to come. It is not good for people to have an easy life. They become weak and inefficient when they cease to struggle. some need a series of defeats before developing the strength and courage to win a victory."

Victorio,

Chief of the Chihenne band of Chiricahua Apaches

I recently shared this quote on facebook, which resulted in a few comments, one of which was:"True in theory, but constant struggle wears me down."My response to that was, "Maybe that's why things come in phases." It was at that moment that I had one of those Ah ha moments, and something just clicked.Think about it for a minute... have you ever noticed that struggles seem to bombard you all at once, overwhelming you for a time, and then followed by periods of calm, kind of like the peace after the storm? Perhaps it is a part of the grand scheme of things.I believe we are here for a divine purpose and that life's hurdles and road blocks are presented to us to strengthen and mold us into the person we are destined to be in order to accomplish that purpose. We may not understand it at the time, but each challenge makes us stronger, wiser, and prepares us for the next.In between our lessons, we are gifted with periods of calm. The length of time of these calm periods vary, and give us time to reflect on what we have learned, to count our blessings, to rejoice in life, and to give us the rest we need in between life's challenges.It is a cycle that repeats until our divine purpose is fulfilled. Don't let this thought overwhelm you; this cycle is life. Yes, it can be painful and overwhelming at times, but it can also be beautiful, and full of blessings. You will experience times when life is unbearably difficult, but you will also have times when life is amazing. Remember, you can't have a rainbow without the storm :)Don't let life make you a victim; rise above your challenges and be victorious!